Crowbar Brings Trams To A Standstill

Chronicle (Levin), 22 June 1948, Page 7

Crowbar Brings Trams To A Standstill

Press Associatto.n)

(Per

WELLINGTON, june 21. Inadvertently driving_-a crowbar into a power feeder cable sbortly after 1.30 p.in. today, an employee of the city engineer's department paralysed the wellington trani service m the city sectxons for the rest of the day. The worker was excavating a hole in which a pole to carry one of the parking signs for the new city parking layout, was to be erected. There was an iminediate spurt of fLame ata the base of the crowbar accompanied aixnost at once by greenish yeliow smoke as the bitiunen casing of the feeder cable hegan to vaporise. The resulting short set such a strain 011 the feeder cable which had heen m use a good niany years, that trouble becanie manifest in widely separated parts of tbe city. About 1.5U p.m. the iron lid of a manhole in the footpath 011 the east side of lvent Terrace between the Elizabeth and Pirie Streets intersections, blew off witli a boom which couJd be heard some distance away. Hnioke began to pour from the manhole followed soon by fiames which rose several feet from the footway. Almost simultaneously the breaker su itches in the Jervois Quay substation wero tlirown out with a crash and smoke began to filter back into the substation from the tunnel through wliich the feed cables pass to various city distributiou circuits. The breaking of the switches cut off the tramway l»ower supply from Pirie Htreet and northwurd trams came to a stop, some in awkward spots which impeded other: vehicular traffic. Tracing the source of the smoke entering the substation, it was found that the old feeder cable had given under Ihe strain between the substation and Lower Taranaki Btreet. Becoming overheated it had iired and the cable tunnel for tbe whole Jength of Tara naki titrcct was full of dense smoke. Fire Brigade Busy. The Fire Brigade had a busy time. One engine went to tbe Bmbassy Tlieatro corner to the fire where the feeder cable had been puneturcd. A second engine went to the manhole fire in Kent Terrace. Two went to the Jervois Quay substation, all within a few minutes. The lirst two outbreakJ presented Jittle difficulty and were soon dealt witli lnit the fire in the cable tunnel under t'he Taranaki Street.Tervois Quay iutersection, presented greater difliculty. It had broken out about LiO feet from the nearest manhole and choking greenish yellow smoke filled the tunnel through wliich t'he roar of the fhuncs eould be clearlv heard. The greatest difliculty was niet in getlirig elose enough to deal with tbem. A special equipinent van was brouglit from the eentral station. Using attiiehed lifelines, two liremen wearing respiratfirs worked their way along witli the hose, feeling their way becati.se the smoke made the use of their powerful handlamps of practically 110 iiviiil. They eventually got near enougli to direct a jet of water 011 the seat, of the lire. Tlie brigade 's inspecting officer, Mr. F. Brarnblebv, wlio was oue of tliose wlio entered tlie tunnel, said tlie damage appeared extensive. This lire took about four bours to extinguish. For about oue and a lialf bours after j the stoppage 110 trams rau in tlie city or suburbs. Tben one by one oute1' statioiis took uyi the load and the serviees began to be restored.